Earl S. Tupper Tumblers 1954

  • Not on view

In 1947 Tupper, an inventor and chemist at DuPont, designed the unique air- and watertight Tupper Seal for containers to prevent both spilling and food spoilage. He used this feature to enhance his range of polyethylene Welcome Ware, devised years earlier. The result—Tupperware—became a powerful symbol of suburban domestic life in the 1950s. In addition to its cutting-edge material and form, Tupperware’s innovative marketing secured its success. Brownie Wise, a single mother who ultimately became vice president of the company, developed the hostess party model that gave housewives the chance to earn money independently.

Gallery label from What Was Good Design? MoMA’s Message 1944–56, May 6, 2009–January 10, 2011.
Manufactured by Tupper Corporation, Farnumsville, MA
Each: 5 x 2 5/8" (12.7 x 6.7 cm)
Gift of the manufacturer
Object number
Architecture and Design

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